Missouri River near St. Joseph area — John Ordway: July 6, 1804
The expedition continued upriver in very warm weather, with the men sweating profusely as the river slowly fell. They passed a prairie on the north side known as Reevey's or St. Michel Prairie, named for a man killed there, and rounded the Grand Bend, a two-mile loop in the river. Camp was made on the south side. A whip-poor-will briefly perched on the boat. Notes also reference an earlier snakebite victim who had recovered and creeks named Fourth of July and Independence.
ceeded on, the river falls Slowly the weather is verry warm,
1 “which was quickly doctored with bark by Cap. Lewis.” Clark. “The
man that was snake bitten is become well.” Gass, July 9.
2 Ordway here falls into error. Two creeks were passed this day, the first
of which was named Fourth of July and the second Independence Creek. The
latter, a short distance above Atchison, still retains its name. Both streams
are shown on J. N. Nicollet’s map ( Hydrographical Basin of the Upper Mis-
sissippi River. Washington, 1813).
1 Called “Yellow Oaker” by Clark, and shown as Yellow Ochre Creek on
Nicollet’s map of 1843. Apparently it was modern Brush Creek in southeastern
Doniphan County, Kans.
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 93
several days the Sweet pores off the men in Streams, opposite
the 3d point we passed a handsome Prarie on the north side called
Reeveys or S* Michel prarie,1 from a man of that name being
killed in it we passed Round the Grand Bend which is 2 miles
out in the River, we camped on the south side of the River2
a whiper will perched on the Boat for a short time.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Proceeded on. The river falls slowly. The weather is very warm. For several days the sweat has poured off the men in streams. Opposite the 3rd point we passed a handsome prairie on the north side called Reeveys or St. Michel prairie, named from a man of that name being killed in it. We passed round the Grand Bend, which is 2 miles out in the river. We camped on the south side of the river.
A whippoorwill perched on the boat for a short time.
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